Comments on: Bletchley Park codebreakers recognized by British government http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-540675 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-540675 About time! this place is fascinating. Derek Jacobi plays Alan Turing in 'Breaking the Code' - an excellent film about his life. P.S. MI5 had Guy Burgess and Anthony Blunt, who were both homosexual - but public school so part of the old boy network..It didn't seem to affect their security levels.. P.P.S. Then there is the famous apple.. About time! this place is fascinating.

Derek Jacobi plays Alan Turing in ‘Breaking the Code’ – an excellent film about his life.

P.S. MI5 had Guy Burgess and Anthony Blunt, who were both homosexual – but public school so part of the old boy network..It didn’t seem to affect their security levels..

P.P.S. Then there is the famous apple..

]]> By: TheCrawNotTheCraw http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539662 TheCrawNotTheCraw Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539662 @4 What's your point? That old technology seems quaint, and is much slower than today's technology? Yawn. The supercomputer I worked with at Goddard Space Flight Center in the 1980s is an antique today; it's probably sitting in a dump somewhere. That doesn't mean that it wasn't significant in its day. @4

What’s your point? That old technology seems quaint, and is much slower than today’s technology? Yawn.

The supercomputer I worked with at Goddard Space Flight Center in the 1980s is an antique today; it’s probably sitting in a dump somewhere. That doesn’t mean that it wasn’t significant in its day.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-542226 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-542226 plus ca change http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/07/13/doctors-demand-inquest-into-death-of-kelly/ plus ca change
http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/07/13/doctors-demand-inquest-into-death-of-kelly/

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539680 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539680 my goodness people these men, women & machines where truly groundbreaking. for those who want a wonderful, if not truly factual account of these achievements read Cryptonomicon by the one and only Mr Neal Stephenson. my goodness people these men, women & machines where truly groundbreaking.
for those who want a wonderful, if not truly factual account of these achievements read
Cryptonomicon by the one and only Mr Neal Stephenson.

]]> By: Lauren O http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539693 Lauren O Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539693 <i>Turing received no official recognition for his work in his lifetime, true, but everyone remotely associated with computer science knows him and reveres him.</i> Fat lot of good that does him. Turing received no official recognition for his work in his lifetime, true, but everyone remotely associated with computer science knows him and reveres him.

Fat lot of good that does him.

]]> By: abfo http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539695 abfo Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539695 Should note that the bombe was based on earlier work by the Polish. Also that after the war Churchill ordered Colossus and the bombes to be destroyed because he thought they were too dangerous to fall into enemy hands. One wonders how different the world would be if he went the other way... Should note that the bombe was based on earlier work by the Polish. Also that after the war Churchill ordered Colossus and the bombes to be destroyed because he thought they were too dangerous to fall into enemy hands. One wonders how different the world would be if he went the other way…

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539696 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539696 I still feel there is strong possibility the government murdered him. I still feel there is strong possibility the government murdered him.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539700 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539700 Tommy Flowers was a GPO engineer and thus knew hardware. Alan Turing was a clever man, clever enough to use maths to outwit the nazi empire but not clever enough to effectively conceal his own behaviour . Maybe hardware is easier than people? Tommy Flowers was a GPO engineer and thus knew hardware. Alan Turing was a clever man, clever enough to use maths to outwit the nazi empire but not clever enough to effectively conceal his own behaviour . Maybe hardware is easier than people?

]]> By: mdh http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539710 mdh Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539710 <i>Alan Turing was a clever man, clever enough to use maths to outwit the nazi empire but not clever enough to effectively conceal his own behaviour.</i> That particular form of brilliance often goes hand in hand with that particular inability. The shame was never his. Alan Turing was a clever man, clever enough to use maths to outwit the nazi empire but not clever enough to effectively conceal his own behaviour.

That particular form of brilliance often goes hand in hand with that particular inability.

The shame was never his.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539711 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539711 ? perhaps he was clever enough to know that he should not have to conceal his "behaviour". The British government at the time had many, many gay men throughout it. Were they clever in going along with the destruction and killing of identified gay people at the time? Turing, ahead of his time in more areas than one. ? perhaps he was clever enough to know that he should not have to conceal his “behaviour”. The British government at the time had many, many gay men throughout it. Were they clever in going along with the destruction and killing of identified gay people at the time?

Turing, ahead of his time in more areas than one.

]]> By: skeletoncityrepeater http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-540244 skeletoncityrepeater Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-540244 I know this thread shouldn't really be about Alan Turing, but I just wanted to mention that his biography, although rather 'tedious' is fascinating and really shows what an important and dedicated person this man was. It also illuminates the tragedy of barbarism and xenophobia practiced to this day by the cowards who run our civilized governments. I know this thread shouldn’t really be about Alan Turing, but I just wanted to mention that his biography, although rather ‘tedious’ is fascinating and really shows what an important and dedicated person this man was. It also illuminates the tragedy of barbarism and xenophobia practiced to this day by the cowards who run our civilized governments.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-581473 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-581473 http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/09/britan-oldest-computer/ http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/09/britan-oldest-computer/

]]> By: sopekmir http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539773 sopekmir Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539773 There is a good and unbiased account on Enigma and Bletchley Park: http://www.codesandciphers.org.uk/enigma/index.htm Good to see UK government to do justice to hidden heroes. The fate for many of them was tragic. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maksymilian_Ci%C4%99%C5%BCki">Max Ciezki</a>, the supervisor of Polish cracking of Enigma in 1932, first suffered in Nazi camp and later died in poverty and oblivion, as the result of communists going after him... He was finally brought to his native Szamotuly and got postmortem honour in ... 2008. There is a good and unbiased account on Enigma and Bletchley Park: http://www.codesandciphers.org.uk/enigma/index.htm

Good to see UK government to do justice to hidden heroes.

The fate for many of them was tragic.
Max Ciezki, the supervisor of Polish cracking of Enigma in 1932, first suffered in Nazi camp and later died in poverty and oblivion, as the result of communists going after him…

He was finally brought to his native Szamotuly and got postmortem honour in … 2008.

]]> By: unclewilco http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539601 unclewilco Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539601 The Hut where the coding took place was a finalist in this years Shed of the year competition. http://www.shedblog.co.uk/finalists In the end the Kite Cabin won http://www.shedblog.co.uk/kitecabin regards wilco The Hut where the coding took place was a finalist in this years Shed of the year competition.

http://www.shedblog.co.uk/finalists

In the end the Kite Cabin won

http://www.shedblog.co.uk/kitecabin

regards

wilco

]]> By: Joe MommaSan http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539602 Joe MommaSan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539602 <i>Turing was arrested for homosexuality in 1952 and committed suicide shortly afterwards, having received no official recognition for his work in his lifetime.</i> Typical of the sort of "reward" you get for serving a country or government. Turing was arrested for homosexuality in 1952 and committed suicide shortly afterwards, having received no official recognition for his work in his lifetime.

Typical of the sort of “reward” you get for serving a country or government.

]]> By: Phoobar http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539621 Phoobar Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539621 Turing received no official recognition for his work in his lifetime, true, but everyone remotely associated with computer science knows him and reveres him. <P> Who is Tommy Flowers? Turing received no official recognition for his work in his lifetime, true, but everyone remotely associated with computer science knows him and reveres him.

Who is Tommy Flowers?

]]> By: grikdog http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539622 grikdog Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539622 Perpetuating the myth of British invincibility when it comes to reading the world's mail. ENIGMA, which appears to have been considerably more enigmatic than the propaganda would have us believe, will never be used again and, in any case, seems like a steampunk Secret Decoder Ring compared to Rijndael or Whirlpool based stream ciphers. Bletchley Park flower girls takin' dictation from Perfesser 'Iggins, what? Somebody make a movie. Perpetuating the myth of British invincibility when it comes to reading the world’s mail. ENIGMA, which appears to have been considerably more enigmatic than the propaganda would have us believe, will never be used again and, in any case, seems like a steampunk Secret Decoder Ring compared to Rijndael or Whirlpool based stream ciphers. Bletchley Park flower girls takin’ dictation from Perfesser ‘Iggins, what? Somebody make a movie.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539627 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539627 They've been recognized! Quick, time for new identities. They’ve been recognized! Quick, time for new identities.

]]> By: Zarniwoop http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539892 Zarniwoop Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539892 @ #3 Tommy Flowers was the inventor of the programmable computer. The Colossus was actually the first programmable computer. @ #3

Tommy Flowers was the inventor of the programmable computer. The Colossus was actually the first programmable computer.

]]> By: vortex http://boingboing.net/2009/07/11/bletchley-park-codeb.html#comment-539901 vortex Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-539901 hey again corey, i think the context of alan turing's death should be qualified. alan turing was judged for his crime of homosexuality. strong hormonal therapy was the sentence prescribed to cure him. i don't think it should be forgotten that he committed suicide under these circumstances. the state that militarily benefits from his genius actively participates in assisting the death of a dedicated and talented mathematician and code breaker. and the official recognition? he has a roundabout named after him just outside of milton keynes. hey again corey,

i think the context of alan turing’s death should be qualified.

alan turing was judged for his crime of homosexuality. strong hormonal therapy was the sentence prescribed to cure him.

i don’t think it should be forgotten that he committed suicide under these circumstances.

the state that militarily benefits from his genius actively participates in assisting the death of a dedicated and talented mathematician and code breaker.

and the official recognition? he has a roundabout named after him just outside of milton keynes.

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